The St Louis Kid (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Page Four , jist (Prepared Review) ‘The St. Louis Kid’ Proves A Perfect Story For Cagney James Cagney and a talented east make the most of a swell story in the Warner Bros. production, “The St. Louis Kid,” which brought gales of laughter from an audience that crowded | Piper See aes Theatre at the first local showing of the film yesterday. Frederick Hazlitt Brennan must have had Cagney in mind when he wrote his hilarious tale of a young Irish truck driver who quit his truck for a week-end to woo a lady who had slapped his face and then managed to fall into, and fight his way out of, more trouble than would suffice for a dozen ordinary film comedies. Jimmie, as truculent as ever, smashes a car belonging to pretty Patricia Ellis, the 17-year-old Warner Bros. featured player who has the feminine lead in the picture, and for the first time in his woman slugging career, finds the roles reversed. Patricia lands a sock on his jaw that echoes in his heart, with the result that he cleans up a local potentate who is forcing his attentions on her. James lands in jail, talks himself out of it by fomenting a milk war and lands in jail again when he tries to run the blockade established by farmers whom Jimmie had convinced, by hi oratory, that they were being oppressed by the milk trust. From then on there are thrills aplenty. Patricia is kidnapped. Jimmie escapes from jail to go to her rescue, and fights gangs of thugs as bravely as in other pictures he has punched his lady loves. In this picture, however, Jimmie has developed a new technic. He uses his head to butt his enemies into sleepyland because he had promised his boss not to use his fists. Incidentally pretty Patricia does considerable scrapping herself, including a right hand swing that knocks a detective off his balance, and a James Cagney Mat No. 8 —10c counter attack on a gang of gorillas that almost resulted in victory. Allen Jenkins is excellent as a foil to Jimmy, playing opposite him as his truck driving pal. Dumb and over-zealous, he is responsible for much of Jimmy’s troubles, although he always manages to come around with the bail money when the former lands in jail. Jenkins is responsible for a large part of the riotous fun of the picture, The entire cast is a talented one and includes Robert Barrat in the role of the farmer leading the fight against the milk trust, Addison Richards as the trust magnate, Spencer Charters as the good natured and sleepy jailor and Hobart Cavanaugh as Jimmy’s cell mate, who prefers jail to paying alimony to an unloved wife. Others who did notable work include Dorothy Dare, Arthur Aylesworth, Charles Wilson, William Davidson, Harry Woods, Gertrude Short and Eddie Shubert. Ray Enright has handled the situations with remarkable directorial skill to bring out all the humor and thrill of Brennan’s story. FREAK FACS A rue BARBER STUFF ALLEN JENKINS NEVER FACES A MICROPHONE wiTtHOUT THE COLLAR BUTTON THAT FLO ZIEGFELD gays NIX ON Mat No. 1—20c Cagney At_______ Theatre Today In ‘The St. Louis Kid’ James Cagney comes to the aes ee Theatre today in his latest Warner Bros. picture, “The St. Louis Kid,” which is said to be the ,most riotously funny as well as the most thrillingly dramatic production in which he has yet appeared. The story by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan revolves about a milk trust war which Jimmy has unwittingly started by a speech conjured up to get himself out of jail for having knocked the milk magnate cold. The milk war leads to a score of thrilling situations in which Jimmy is arrested for a murder he did not commit, his girl is kidnaped, and another war with the band of abductors. The breath-taking action, interspersed with hilarious comedy winds up in a novel and astounding climax. Jimmy has the role of a red headed, hot tempered Irish truck driver who gets into trouble every minute. Patricia Ellis has the romantic role and proves as efficient in rough methods as Jimmy himself, for she smacks him for a row of milk cans when he smashes her car. But she makes him like it so well that he rushes to her rescue when she is kidnaped. She doesn’t confine her smacks to Jimmy, however, but lets a detective have it in the jaw when he gets fresh. There is a strong supporting cast with Allen Jenkins in the leading role as Jimmy’s dumb pal who is responsible for a large part of his troubles. Others include Robert Barrat, Hobart Cavanaugh, Spencer Charters, Addison Richards, Dorothy Dare and Arthur Aylesworth. Ray Enright directed the picture from the screen play by Warren Duff and Seton I. Miller. Cagney Learns Piano Between Film Scenes James Cagney spent most of his time between scenes of “The St. Louis Kid,” the Warner Bros. production now showing at the eS Theatre, learning to play the piano. He was very serious about it, too, having a portable piano and a teacher with him all day long. It was a bit tough on the supporting cast —but Jimmy now boasts that they no longer laugh when he sits down to the piano! Cagney and Jenkins Old Stage Buddies James Cagney and Allen Jenkins, who are screen buddies in “The St. Louis Kid,” the Warner Bros. production which comes Oe a Theatre, on SET eee » are good pals off the screen as well. They have been great friends ever since they sang and danced together in the chorus of “Pitter Patter’ on Broadway several years ago. Smack Brings Love To James Cagney Girls who meet a cave-man lover and want to win him over, hook, line and sinker, should adopt the latest method as evolved in James Cagney’s new starring picture for Warner Bros., “The St. Louis Kid,” which comes to the ame 08. 5. SS. Jimmy is a hard boiled, battling truck driver. He tries to strong-arm Patricia Ellis, who has the leading feminine role, when she bawls him out for Smashing her car. Does Pat take it? She does not. She smacks Jimmy a resounding erack on the jaw. And Jimmy likes it so well he falls desperately in love with the girl. He loves her 80 much he risks his life to regcue her from kidnappers in a series of the most exciting and the most hilarious situations the screen has seen in Many a long day. Ray Enright directed the picture from a story by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan. Cagney Invents Ne To Deliver the Old K,0 Star Of “The St. Louis Kid” Now Butts Using Head For Upper-Cut HEY say in Hollywood that wh ‘ made, Jimmy Cagney will deliver them, and jj delivers plenty .of them in his latest Warner picture, ‘‘The St. Louis Kid,’’ now showing at the Br Me She. es Theatre. That may be all righ with the fun, but this boy Cagney has a lot mo mere flair for conquering his sweetheart them punch drunk. He is a serious, hard-working earnest youngster who has battled his way from the East Side of New York to the Sunny Side of filmdom. He did it with a cool head and a lot of Irish spunk, The beginnings of his education were wrested from an unwilling world while he was an errand boy, a bundle wrapper and a handy-boy around a branch library. He managed to work his way into Columbia University and to look after seven hungry mouths at home. On the verge of becoming a successful young artist, he had to accept a vaudeville engagement in order to get quick money. Jimmy never whined. He made up his mind that if he were going to be an actor, he might as well be a good one. ‘When his big chance came in “Outside Looking In,” he was ready for it. He went from that to “Women Go On Forever,” “Grand Street Follies,” “Maggie the Magnificent” and “Penny Arcade.” The next step was Hollywood. He’s been in “Public Enemy,” “Smart Money,” “Doorway To Hell,” “Blonde Crazy,” “Taxi,” “The Crowd Roars,” “Picture Snatcher,” “Mayor of Hell,” “Footlight Parade” and many others. James Cagney is the sort of young man that his colleagues speak of as “a swell fellow.” Around a studio that means he is not only pleasant in his contacts but that he knows his business. Being athletic, he moves with PRODUCTION STORY Pat Ellis Smacks Battling Cagney In Hilarious Picture Patricia Ellis, the winsome, delicate girl of the screen has developed into a smacker. Not with her lips, but with her dainty fists. And of all persons to smack, she begins with James Cagney, long noted for pushing grapefruit into ladies’ faces and otherwise manhandling them. It all happens in Cagney’s new starring production for Warner Bros., “The St. Louis Kid,” which COMMON WOSTNO Shi css ce inine role opposite Cagney. She is a fiery little thing who runs a village cafe and knows her way around. So when Jimmy tries to drag her from her car which he has wrecked and for which she has bawled him out, she lets him have it right on the jaw. And Jimmy, who is a battling, red headed, hot tempered truck driver, is so astounded he prompt ly falls in love with the little vixen. But Jimmy is not the only one Patricia smacks in the picture. She puts up a stiff fight with a couple of gorillas who kidnap her because she has witnessed a Ww Way "Em en better socks r S by first getty oe — grace and hag Perfected , leh jab that looks go Teal oy Screen, you wonder why the Leaguers don’t intervene, He by learned to pull punches Withort appearing to do go, Even th girls he hits seem not to ming He neither smokes nor drink, and never has done either, Back in the lean day, ) learned to lean on a i little person with deep blue eps and brown hair, She is still Mn §, Cagney and answers to the nam of “Bill,” which sounds unbeligr. ably affectionate when Jinay says it. Cagney is red headed, jy brown eyes and freckles, Hey } five feet nine, weighs 155 ponds and will always wear the mm size hat, In “The St. Louis Kid” Jimny is a hard egg, with a big heat who gets in and out of om thouble than anyone could img ine. In this picture, however, Jimmy has developed a new “sock.” He butts ’em with bis head like a goat. And they » down for the count everytime The picture is a rollicking com edy drama with Cagney in th stellar role and Patricia Ellis is the romantic feminine lead. There is a talented supporting cast which includes Allen Jenkins, Robert Barrat, Hobart Car naugh, Dorothy Dare and Arthr Aylesworth. It was directed by Ray Br right from the screen play by Warren Duff and Seton 1 Mlle, based on a story by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan. i thn | St. Louis Woman Patricia Ellis is the lat af Jimmie Cagney in at Warner Bros. comedy, Louis Kid. ts a botdl murder. Again she “~ side of detective have it on e the face when he sets fresh. | Jimmy and hest team % s come t Altogether form the roug sweethearts that ha screen. oy ig paged & icture, which 18 tt The p ck a story by Freder! reaming ith excl Brennan, is not only a funny, but is pack oe ing situations and rm ne mance. Others in fe Bar elude Allen cog aes | rat and Hobart Ca